Trinity Mirror Midlands journalists vote for strike

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Journalists working on Trinity Mirror titles in the Midlands have voted in favour of industrial action over plans by the regional publisher to close a number of titles and make a series of compulsory redundancies.

The National Union of Journalists told Trinity’s local management this afternoon that 84 per cent of the 74 staff who took part in a secret postal ballot voted for strike action, with a 97 per cent voting for action short of a strike.

Chris Morley, NUJ northern organiser, said: “This ballot result is a strong indication of the feelings of our members at Trinity Mirror in the Midlands about the cuts that have been announced and the others that we believe are planned.”

The ballots were called after the publisher revealed plans to close nine local newspapers in the Midlands, cut almost 120 jobs, including 17 journalists, and following further speculation that it plans to axe the Birmingham Post as a daily title.

Trinity Mirror chapels are also balloting for action over planned cuts at Trinity Mirror publishing centres in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, the union said.

The local chapels in the Midlands are expected to decide what form of action to take later this week.

A Trinity Mirror spokesman told Press Gazette that fewer than 45 percent of all those who were balloted voted in favour of this strike action.

“We are obviously disappointed with this reckless and negligent decision,’the spokesman added.

“We are fighting to secure the future of our businesses in the Midlands which are now running at a loss, and this action will not benefit their members in any way whatsoever.”